


The Beast Within 4/?

by iantosgal (orphan_account)



Series: The Beast Within [4]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Timelines, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 05:36:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/iantosgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is back from his time with the Doctor and his team are keeping something from him, but what? Set after KKBB.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beast Within 4/?

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a story I posted a couple of years back on my LJ. My Torchwood muse buggered off and the story died. A couple of days ago, I found it, re-read it and the muse was reawakened!! So I've written a couple more chapters and just wanted to repost this over here on my new profile! So sorry for the spam of chapters, if anyone remembers it from LJ then I'm sorry for the long wait and for anyone that reads, I hope you enjoy it!!!

Ianto knocked softly on the door to Jack’s office and let himself without waiting for an answer. Jack looked up from behind the desk. He put down the paperwork he had been trying to get his head around and swallowed nervously.

“Ianto.” He forced past the sudden lump in his throat. 

Ianto cleared his throat and took the seat opposite Jack. He rested his arms on the table and looked into Jack’s eyes. 

“About before…I’m sorry I was out of order. Believe me, I know this is a lot to take in and it’s different for you, we all had each other to get us though this whole thing and your doing it alone. I guess I’m trying to apologise for being a bit of an arse before. I promise to be careful and not take unnecessary risks but I will change if I think I can help. So, truce?” The words came out quickly, Ianto wanting to get them out before Jack could interrupt. 

Jack looked at him, a shocked expression on his face.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“But…”

“Ianto, if anyone should apologise it’s me. I can only imagine how hard this has been for you and then just as your getting you head around it, I barge back into your life and freak out. Look, Tosh has already agreed to brief me on all the protocols, bring me up to speed. If you promise to be careful, I think we can call a truce.” He smiled and Ianto grinned back at him. 

Ianto held out his hand.

“Shake on it?”

Jack laughed and took the offered hand. Their hands lingered for just a fraction longer then needed before Ianto pulled his hand away.

Jack looked away, cleared his throat and looked back into Ianto’s beautiful blue eyes.

“This is probably not the best time but about that date.”

Ianto breathed out a laugh and then schooled his face into an expression of mock seriousness making Jack smile. 

“What you doing tonight?”

“Actually, tonight I’m out with Owen.”

“Oh.”

“Another time though.”

“Definitely.”

Ianto rose from his seat and headed to the door. He paused and turned around.  
“Maybe you should come with us.”

“I wouldn’t like to intrude.”

“Don’t be daft. I’ll tell Owen your joining us.” 

Before Jack could answer, Ianto was gone, the door closing softly behind him. Jack smiled. 

* * * * *

“I asked Jack to join us tonight.”

Owen looked up from the autopsy he was performing, a straight forward case. Gwen had shot it. Not much else to say, but he still had to do it. There was nothing he liked more than to be up to his elbow’s in weevil guts he thought sarcastically.

“Oh.”

“I thought we could ask Gwen and Tosh as well. I know it’s meant to be a lads night but I thought it would be nice to all go out together for once. What do you reckon?”

Owen smiled. He knew Ianto wanted to spend more time with Jack. He also knew that they had all grown a lot closer during the time and Ianto just wanted Jack to be part of that. 

“Alright. Sounds like a plan.”

* * * * * 

“Where exactly are we going?”

“Gwen would you give it a rest. We’re nearly there.”

“I’m just intrigued that’s all. Are we going to the place you two always go?”

“Yes.”

“Is it nice?”

“Yes.”

“Is it a club or a pub?”

“Gwen!”

“Ok sorry, sorry.” She smiled as she sank back into the seat, it was so easy to wind Owen up.

They pulled up outside a trendy club called Life/Liquid. 

“This is where you come?” Gwen asked.

“It’s one of the places yes.” Owen snapped. “Are you going to be like this all night?” 

“No. No I promise.”

“Thank fuck for that.”

Ianto laughed and led the way into the club. The music pumped though the club, though them and Ianto laughed again when he saw Jack wince slightly. 

“Your getting old, Jack.” Ianto shouted into his ear.

Jack punched him playfully on the arm.

“Cheeky bastard!” 

“Here we go lads and lasses!” Owen cheered passing drinks around. “Bottoms up.”

* * * * * 

Ianto reflected that he and Jack we’re definitely the most sober. The bar had quietened down, the music lower than it had been and the number of people in the club had dwindled. Owen was currently snogging a pretty redhead, whilst Gwen and Tosh were dancing, singing loudly at the top of their lungs. Jack and Ianto, sat at the bar, watched them, smiling. Jack had had a few drinks and then headed straight for the water, whereas Ianto, though still on the beer was taking it a lot slower than the others, leaving him pleasantly tipsy.   
“It’s been a good night.”  
“Yeah well lucky the rift behaved itself then really.” Ianto laughed. 

Jack nodded, a happy grin on his face. He pecked Ianto quickly on the cheek. Ianto turned and looked at him, slightly surprised. 

“What was that for?”

Jack shrugged his shoulders. Ianto opened his mouth to speak, but a loud shout made him stop.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND?” 

Ianto closed his eyes briefly.

“Please let it not be Owen, please let it not be Owen.” He muttered under his breath. He turned round. “Shit.”

A tall, heavily muscled man yanked Owen aside from the redhead and squared up to him. Ianto and Jack bounded off their seats and ran over, Ianto reaching them first. He pushed a hand between them and forced them apart.

“Ok lets just calm down yeah?”

“Fuck off. He’s snogging my bloody girlfriend.”

“She’s not exactly putting up a fight, mate. I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”

“Not helping Owen.”

“Well she does. Me.”

“Oh, do you know what? Why don’t you go tell someone who gives a shit! She started it not me.”

“Owen! Shut up!”

“Right, come on then you little shit! Come on!” 

Gwen and Tosh had rushed over and pulled the redhead away. Ianto stood between Owen and the man, whilst Jack held Owen back. 

“Everyone just calm the fuck down!” Ianto shouted.

Owen clenched his jaw. The man bared his teeth. Suddenly, he went for Owen, pushing Ianto roughly aside and slamming his fist into Owen’s face. Jack tried to stop him but he punched Owen again and again, shrugging Jack off easily. 

There was a sudden yell and Jack looked up from the floor to see the man flying across the bar. The staff scattered and he could see one of them was on the phone, almost certainly talking to the police. He spun round and found Ianto, still in human form but clearly struggling to remain so. Tosh rushed to his side. 

“Ianto? Calm down.” She said, placing an arm around his shoulders. But Ianto shrugged her off and before anyone could stop him he leapt over the bar. Jack rushed around and tried to pull Ianto off the man who’s face he was pummelling mercilessly. 

“Ianto! Stop!” He yanked Ianto round as best he could, forcing his head round.   
“Look at me! Ianto, you have to stop.” 

Ianto suddenly froze. He looked deeply in Jack’s eyes and saw the horror and fear in them. He looked down at the barely recognisable face before him and then at his still raised fist. 

He stood up quickly and then he was gone. 

Jack raced after him, closely followed by Gwen, Tosh and a very bloody Owen.   
Ianto was no where in sight.

“We have to find him!” Gwen screamed. 

“You and Jack go, me and Owen will take care of clean up.”

“You sure?” 

“Yes, Go!”

Gwen and Jack took off at a run, even though they didn’t really no where they were heading. They ran for what seemed like hours. Finally, Gwen pulled up, breathing heavily and clutching a stitch in her side. 

“I can’t Jack. I’m still drunk. I just can’t run anymore.” The fight, fresh air and run had cleared her head but she was feeling sick, the alcohol objecting to being sloshed around violently inside her. Jack stopped and walked back to her.

“Ok think. Where would he go? Gwen? Where does he go when he’s like this?” 

Why didn’t he think to ask that before., he thought angrily. He’d been to panicked, the adrenaline and fear taking over. He just hadn’t thought.

“The hub. His flat. Owen’s. Um…” A look of sudden realisation crossed her face. “I know where he is.”

“Where?”

* * * * *

Gwen directed Jack though the streets of Cardiff. He drove recklessly, breaking all the speed limits. Gwen directed him to an unused Torchwood building that Jack didn’t even know still existed. They climbed out of the car, running though the corridors and down stairs, heading for the basement. It had been almost two hours since they had lost Ianto and Jack could feel the fear coursing through him. Gwen stopped outside a door and tentatively pushed it open. 

Lying in the middle of the room, curled in the foetal position was Ianto. He was shivering, the concrete floor like ice against his bare skin. Gwen rushed to him, pulling his head into her lap. Jack shrugged of his coat and lay it over Ianto’s naked form. He sat beside him and held his hand. They sat, unmoving, for almost half an hour. Ianto sobbed into Gwen’s lap, clinging to her. She rocked him gently, making soothing noises, her own tears falling down her face.   
Jack was only beginning to realise just how much this had affected Ianto, affected the team. He cried silently, wishing there was something he could do.

* * * * *

When Ianto had composed himself, Gwen fetched some clean clothes for him from the SUV. It seemed to have become routine. Jack sat with Ianto waiting for Gwen to come back. He glanced around the walls noticing the deep claw marks gouged into the wall. 

“I thought you could control it?” 

Ianto looked at him and Jack realised he sounded like he was accusing him.

“I didn’t mean it like that I just meant…”

Ianto sighed.

“I know, it’s ok Jack. I can control it but sometime’s I just get so angry it’s actually less painful to change and get it out of my system. Anger’s like fire in my veins, it physically hurts. Changing stop’s that. But obviously I can’t do that in public so there’s a few places I come to. This was the closest one.”

“Where are the others?”

“Well the room you saw me transform in at the Hub, there’s a basement in Grangetown and another in Splott. There’s also somewhere in the city centre, have to go though the sewers for that one. Not so nice, but there you go.”

“Is it painful?”

“Not as painful as the full moon but it’s not pleasant.”

“Why did it take Gwen so long to figure out where you’d be?”

Ianto looked at him in disbelief.

“Because she fucked off her face.”

There was a pause and then they both broke out into peels of laughter. The sound of Ianto’s laugh was like music to Jack’s ears. So much better than the tears.


End file.
